‘There has never been a better time to start living the American dream’
WASHINGTON – President Trump attempted to turn the successes of his first year in office — tax cuts, deregulation and an offensive against the Islamic State — into a second-year agenda that he said will bring about a “new American moment.” “There has never been a better time to start living the American dream,” Trump said in his first official State of the Union address on Tuesday. That optimistic tone underscored an appeal for bipartisanship on the two issues that could define Trump’s second year: Immigration and infrastructure. Trump said he is “extending an open hand to work with members of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, to protect our citizens, of every background, color, and creed.” In a pre-speech interview with news anchors, he spoke of ending decades of divisiveness in American politics, and how he himself ran for office as a businessman but has learned to “govern with heart.” “Heart” was a recurring theme of the speech. Trump spoke of putting hands over hearts for the flag, hearts breaking for victims of violence, and the American hearts fueling a new building boom. But Trump also took a tough stance on criminal gangs and on the war on terror, using his speech to announce that he had just signed an executive order to “reexamine our military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities at Guantánamo Bay.” As with most modern State of the Union addresses, the Trump’s speech is both credit-claiming victory lap and agenda-setting legislative proposals. Trump once again touted the tax cut bill he signed into law in December that will “provide tremendous relief for the middle class and small businesses.” He said he “ended the war on clean coal,” cut more regulations than any other president, and canceled trade deals that he says are one-sided and unfair. Read this story and more in your Weekday edition of The Ennis News. Be informed, subscribe today!






